The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-05-18
DYNAm1rE DOES IFS WORK.
The Broad Ripple Well "shot" and Gives
Forth a Volume of Natural Gas

pie at o'clock last night, when John
Cation, who held the messenger of discov-
cry, let it go. 1t did its work. The gas well
was shot, and good results followed.
The earth heaved; there was a loud
| rumbling. 1t was fully a minute that the
impatient crowd waited before a volume OF
water as large as a mans body shot into
| the air from three to four hundred feet.
Then moundshaped mass OF earth aud
stones pushed its way through the water
| and assembled nearly as high as the derrick
| when 1t broke and scattered limestone aud
pieces of Trenton rock in liberal quantities
| in every direction.
| AS soon as the shower of rocks ceased
crowd of gentlemen rushed up to the
mouth of the well. 1t was evident
that gas had been found and that
1t was escaping in large quanti-
ties. The wooden plug was quickly
put in, which connected the well with the
outside pipes. DR.. R. c. Light, the secre.
tary of the Broad Ripple Natural Gas
Company, then touched a match to the
| mouth of the one and a quarter inch pipe
which had been erected about forty feet
north OF the well, and connected with it
by the five and three-quarterinch pipe
| which lay on the ground.
1t was but the twinkling of an eye from
the time the light touched the escaping
| gas until twenty feet of ascending flames
| pierced the atmosphere like flying me-
teor. For hundreds of yards it gave al
most as much light as the sun casts, and
certain it is that the great orb of day never
received such an ovation. The blaze con-
stantly grew in size and brilliancy until it
seemed that the little pipe must surely
stretch or break. But it did neither and
yet the fire went on burning gloriously,
and the earth's rumbling continued to
drown the voices that cheered it. 1t was a
grand sight.
one at Brightwood. Mr.. a Shaffstall, who
had charge of the work, arrived Wednesday
night and all day yesterday was busy in
getting everything in readiness. He sunk
to the bottom of the well, 500 feet, five
shells. containing 100 quarts of the nitro
glycerine. This was done in the afternoon
SO that before dark all was arranged and
ready for the fve-pound ''go devil" There
| was some misunderstanding as to the
| timef kthe shooting was to occur,
| both and O'Clock being re-
| ported as the time. However, long
before o'clock the road leading from In
| dianapolis to the Ripple was lined with
carriages filed with both men and women,
and in some instances children, all hurry
ing to witness the novel undertaking of
scattering TO the flour winds bed of
rock thousand feet beneath the earth's
surface; but, unlike the result at Bright
wood, no one left disappointed. There
wss no doubt this time but that gusher
had been found at last. Expressions of
admiration and satisfaction were heard
upon every hand.
"a right good supply, and it will show
up good deal better tomorrow when we
get the supply under full control" said
Mr.. Sbafstall, the man who ''shot" it and
who knows all about what first class well
is.
"AIl we could ask. We have as good a
well as anybody, and will have an abun-
dance to supply Indianapolis" remarked o.
| B. Boardman, pre- sident of the company
| that owns the plant, and he was all boiling
over with enthusiasm.
THE rest of the company did not want
| to go to the expense of shooting it," said
DR.. Light, the secretary, "but insisted on
it, and now 1 guess they are glad was
| little stubborn"
at 10 O'Clock last night when the Senti-
mel representative left the Ripple there
| was no change in the blaze from its ap.
| pearance a few moments after it was lit.
| There was a steady flame fully fifteen feet
| high, and as large around as a large sized
1 was tub, and at times when there appeared
/ to be an extra gush it would shoot up
| from five to ten feet higher, but it would
| soon recede to its normal state. When the
| pipe from which the gas was burning was
attached to the castings of the well there
was quite an opening which was impossible
| to close with a wooden plug, SO that
large quantity of gas escaped. 1t was
asserted by those interested that fully as
much was wasted there as was consumed
by the blaze. Many sgreed that with
the entire supply under control the flames
would be twice as extensive as they were
last night.
1t is expected that when the we'll is
thoroughly cleaned, which will be done
to-day, the supply will be largely increased,
as it is believed that the castings must be
nearly clogged up with stones and dirt.
! No test could be made of the pressure last
| night. This too VIII be attended to to-day.
From the force with which it seemed to
leave the pipe, and the noise it made as its
strong current struck the fire, it was evil
dent the pressure behind it must be tremen-
dous. The noise made by its escaping and
burning was so great that nowhere within
a square of the blaze could an ordinary
conversation be heard. 1t was estimated
| by various engineers present that the
pressure must be from $50 to 800 pounds to
the square inch.
The pusher is on lot 20 of DAwson's addi-
ton to the town OF Broad Ripple and stu
ated Just off the West6eld Pike, and about
three blocks distant from the Air Line
Railroad depot. The property is owned by
Jackson Dawson, Vice-president OF the gas
| company. Mr. Dawson selected the lot on
which to locate the well, and Mr.. Broadman,
the president, drove the peg indicating
the exact spot the drill was to go down.
The nearest house to the find is owned by
DR.. Culbertson and occupied by Hensely
Lock. 1t is not more than 200 feet away,
and it was behind this that the crowd stood
while the Shooting process was going on.
Just south CT the well is the canal, east is the
town, and north and west is the farm OF
James Huffman, one of the directors OF
the company, containing $50 acres.
The well was sunk and is owned by the
Brightwood Natural Gas Company, OF
which Omar b. Boardman is president,
Jackson Dawson vice-prtsldent, DR.. r. G.
Light secretary, John Spain treasurer, and
George Branham, James Hoffman, Frank
Hoffman and Charles Silvers directors.
All of the company are well-to-do farm els
except DIR. Light.
The Indianapolis Natural Gas Com
pany, of which Judge Martindale is
president, however, own nearly one-third
of the stock of the Broad Ripple Company
and no doubt it will endeaver to obtain a
controlling interest. Every acre of land
that was on the market within two miles
of the well was bargained for at 5000 per
acre by Indianapolis parties by 8 o'clock
last night or within two hours after the
gusher was a surety.
What do you expect to do with your
well?" asked the Sentinel of President